The state fire marshal said preliminary findings show that the cause of both fires are a result of the "careless handling of smoking materials on balconies."

The manager of the apartment complex said smoking policies will likely change.

"This is not a non-smoking building," Shawn Knutsen said. "We do not have any non-smoking buildings. We may look into that in the future."

Resident Tom Kawa said he had 20 minutes to salvage everything he could from the place he called home for 10 years.

"It's harder today than it was yesterday," Kawa said. "You never think that it's going to happen to you. That's just the last thing you think about."

Knutsen said he hopes the recent fire sends a message to residents when it comes to putting out cigarettes.

"I'm sure someone will think, 'Oh, I'm just in a hurry,'" Knutsen said. "Take that extra step. I guarantee right now everyone out there would take the extra step to have all their stuff back."

Displaced residents are being housed in other apartments within the complex, but they do have the option to get out of their lease early. So far, no one has done that.

Firefighters issued a “mayday” call at the three-alarm blaze Thursday when a third-floor ceiling collapsed on two firefighters.

Tim McCaw with the Omaha Fire Department said four members of the “rapid interview crew” went in to rescue two trapped firemen, but only two RIC firemen were inside the complex when the wall collapsed on them.

The "RIC" team is made up of four firefighters whose sole job is to rescue firefighters in distress. The team is designed to go to every house fire, but is rarely used.

The firemen from Thursday’s blaze are off-duty and cannot talk to the media. The fire department is not releasing their names.

The department is holding a news conference Saturday at 10 a.m. at Station 78. The two firemen who called a “mayday” will be there along with the four-person RIC team.

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